Wall



Sept. 25, .1934. l H. M. KNIGHT WALL 2 *Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 24. 1931 INVENTOR HERBBgRT M. KNIGHT H! ATTORNE Sept. 25, 1934. H. M. KNIGHT WALL Filed Feb. 24. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. IO

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INVENTOR HERB@ ERT M. KN le HT 75 mw Patented Sept. 25, 1934 WALL Herbert M. Knight, Upper Montclair, N. J. Application February 24, 1931, Serial No. 517,970

20 Claims.

This invention relates to walls built of precast units, especially to units composed of precast concrete, and with particular reference to the walls of enclosing structures, such as tanks, silos, etc.

One of the objects of this invention is the construction of a wall composed of a multiple of pre-cast units which is tied together in three directions by a single uniting means; another object of the invention is the production of a wall composed of a multiple of units in which a single key at a joint between two adjacent units, extends either downwardly or upwardly into a unit below or above the units joined by said key; another object of the invention is the construction of a wall in which a tieing means, such as a key, can be inserted into units juxtaposed in both a horizontal and vertical direction, after said units have been placed in. position in said wall; still another object of the invention is the construction of a wall in which the several courses throughout the entire height of said wall are tied together through a system of staggered keys so that the several courses mutually act together as one in resisting pressures; a further object of the invention is the production of a wall composed oi pre-cast units in which there shall be no through-joint, either horizontal. or vertical; still another object of the invention is the production of a multiple of similar walls, composed of units tied together by keys uniting the several units both vertically and horizontally, and in which the multiple of walls are so united together as that they act together to resist forces exterior to said multiple of walls; still other purposes of this invention will appear from this description and from the accompanying plans.

I illustrate my invention by the following drawings, in which Fig. 1, is a horizontal .cross-section of a circular wall on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an elevation on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a single lapped block on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a cross-section of such a` block on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-section of such a block on the` line 5 5 of Fig..3; Fig. 6 isa cross-section of a portion of a wall in which the units have thickened joint sections and medial sections, and thinner web sections; Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a circular Wall in which the joints are Ythrough joints, instead of lapped; Fig. 8 is a plan view` of a plain block for use in such an un-lapped jointed wall, on the line 8 8 of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is a crosssection taken through such a wall on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a plan view of a multiple unit construction on the line 10 10 of Fig. 12; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal cross-section of such a multiple unit construction on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10, and Fig. 12 is a transverse section of such a multiple unit construction on the line 12 12 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the Vdrawings in which similar gures refer to similar parts, 1 is a wall composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks 2. Joints 3 on the ends of said blocks have key-ways 4, in said blocks, and keys 5, in said key-ways. Holes 6, in the interior of said blocks, are adapted to engage said keys. Tongues ?,in one face of said blocks are adapted to engage grooves 8, in an opposite face of said block. A base 9, is adapted to engage and surround the bottoms of a multiple of Walls and a wall 10, is adapted to connect with said base and to engage said multiple of walls.

Concrete is used as a material for the construction of tanks, silos and similar vessels for the storage of bulk liquids or solids. As at present employed such concrete tanks are either composed of mass concrete, strengthened by a reinforcement of steel in the interior of the concrete mass, or, of pre-cast units strengthened to resist the outward bursting pressure by exterior steel bars or rods. Such exterior strengthening by such bars or rods is costly, unsightly, and liable to serious deterioration due to the rusting of such bars or rods, due to their exposure to the weather. `The reinforced mass concrete is costly to construct, requres skilled and high priced men for its installation and expensive methods of construction, and, in case of change, cannot be extended upwardly with economy and safety.

This invention overcomes these defects in both of the common existing methods in that, as the enclosing walls of structures are composed of pre-cast units, they can be erected by ordinary, or even by un-skilled, labor, and without the employment of specialand costly equipment, and because the strengthening means is entirely enclosed and protected from the elements, all dan-'- ger of decay and deterioration thereof-is entirely eliminated.

It is of course evident, that While the method, as illustrated, is shown as applied to curvilinear and continuous walls, such as the enclosing walls of tanks and silos, it is not to be considered as limited thereto, but that it is equally applicable to rectilinear constructions, either in one, orin a number of planes. V

The blocks of which such a construction is composed may either have projecting portions, such as that, when they are assembled in a wall irsbsrATEs PA'rlaNrv OFFICE the projecting portions of adjacent blocks overlap, so as to prevent a continuous, straight through joint, or they may have plain ends, adjacent blocks simply abutting upon each other.

5 But whether the ends of said blocks are plain or lapped, the general construction is of a similar character and purpose. In the end portion, Whether of the lapped 01 plain variety, a keyway is formed, adapted to aline with a key-way in the end'of an adjacent block, suchalinement permitting the insertion of a key into the juxtaposed, alined key-ways, thereby tying the two adjacent blocks together at the joint. The form of the keys or of the key-ways is immaterial, and the key-ways may be plain or otherwise, but for the better effect of registration and attachment, re-entrant grooves as key-ways'with keys adapted to engage the re-entrant faces of saidgrooves,`

are preferable. The form of the key is likewise not regulated by the blocks or the general type of construction, and either a dumb-bell key, or a bar or a flat spring key, are equally effecsive vand usable.

But the key inserted in the joints is not alone for the purpose of tying the adjacent blocks in the same horizontal plane, but performs an equal, or greater service in tying blocks, and courses of blocks together in a vertical plane.

At or near the centre of each block is a hole adapted to receive a portion of the key which is inserted inthe juxtaposed key-ways of the joints. In the assembling of the blocks of the several courses, the centre of this hole is located in line with the centre of the key-ways in the adjacent blocks inthe next parallel course. The key, which is of greater length than the width of a course of blocks, is then inserted in the juxtaposed key-ways of the joint and thrust through said key-ways and into the hole in the body of the block beneath said key-ways. Usually the hole, as well as the key-ways, has been slushed full of mortar before the insertion of the key, and this mortar, forced upwardly and around the key, serves, upon setting, to bind the blocks in both planes together, so that the structure acts as a monolith.

The hole in the body of the block may, or may not, pass entirely through the said body in the width thereof, the only requirement being that its location and its depth be such as to permit the entrance of the key from the adjacent joint a sufficient distance to join the blocks in the two planes firmly together. It is evident that pressures acting on a wall so constructed, either from Within, tending to produce bursting, or from Without tending to'produce fracture, are transmitted from course to course -by meansof these binding keys, so that no single block or course resistsalone any pressure, but that pressures are transmitted both from course to course, and in a diagonal direction, through or around, the structure.- The strength ofthe structure to resist such pressures, whether suchpressuresbe distributed or. concentrated,l is, by this distribution, greatly increased.

Tongues and grooves are formed on opposite sides of a block, for the purpose of registering with grooves or tongues, similarly disposed on the abuttingl faces of contiguous blocks,V such tongues or grooves assisting in alinement, laterallyof the blocks, and at the same time preventing a through joint on any plane normal to thev key-ways.

Multiples'ofstructures, composed of such walls, either` circular, or otherwise polygonal inV crosssection, may be combined to form a composite structure. If such a composite structure is called upon to resist pressures or forces from without itself, the individual structures may be united at their bottoms by a concrete base, and the structures above such base connected together by a wall engaging the individual structures in such manner as to unite them together, for the purpose of causing all such individual structures to act in concert.

It is evident that the purpose of tying different courses of blocks together by means of keys at joints which enter holes in the body of contiguous blocks, is attained, independently of whether the key enters the hole in the block above or belowthe course in which the key acts as a uniting means at a joint.

What I claim is:-

l. A precast block having oppositely directed faces at the end portions thereof, said faces having keyways opening therethrough, and said block having a keyway disposed wholly within the block intermediate the first-mentioned keyways and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyways and disposed in the same general direction, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with'respect to said overlapping ends.

2. A precast block having projecting portions at the ends of said block, said projecting portions each having a face directed opposite to the corresponding face of the other projecting portion, said faces having keyways opening therethrough, and said block having a keyway disposed wholly within the block intermediate the said projecting portions and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentionedkeyways and disposed in the same general direction, whereby aplurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.`

3. A precast block having end faces directed oppositely outward away from each other and away from the body of the block intervening between said faces, said faces each having a keyway opening therethrough, and said block having a keyway disposed wholly Within the block intermediate the said end faces and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said inst-mentioned keyways and disposed in the same general direction, whereby a plurality of said lblocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered'with respect to said overlapping ends.

4. A precast block having oppositely directed faces at the end portions thereof, said faces being coincident with a portion of a centerline of a cross-sectionof the block'normal to said faces, said faces having keyways opening therethrough normal to said center line, and said block having a keyway disposed wholly within the block intermediate the rst-mentioned keyways and also normal to said centerline andof a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said'rst-mentioned keyways, whereby a plurality of' said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect tosaid overlapping ends.

5. A precast block having oppositely directed faces at` the end. portions thereof,` saidifaces belll() lll5 ing normal to a centerline of a cross-section of the block normal to said faces, said faces having keyways opening therethrough in the same direction as said centerline, and said block having a keyway disposed wholly within the block intermediate the rst-mentioned keyways and also disposed in saine direction as said centerline and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyways, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

6. A precast block having oppositely directed faces at the end portions thereof, said faces having re-entrant keyways opening therethrough, and said block having a reversely double re-entrant keyway disposed wholly within. the block intermediate the first-mentioned keyways and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyvvays and disposed in the saine general direction, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

7. A precast block having projecting portions at the ends of said block, said projecting portions each having a face directed opposite to the corresponding faces of the other projecting portion, said faces having re-entrant keyways opening therethrough, and said block having a reversely double re-entrant keyway disposed wholly within the block intermediate the said projecting portions and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyways and disposed in the same general direction, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting` ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

8. A precast block having end faces directed oppositely outward away from each other and away from the body of the block intervening 1 between said faces, said faces each having a re-entrant keyway opening therethrough, and said block having a reversely double re-entrant keyway disposed Wholly within the block intermediate the said end faces and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyvvays and disposed in the same general direction, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

9. vA precast block having oppositely directed faces at the end portions thereof, said faces being coincident with a portion of a centerline of a cross-section of the block normal to said faces, said faces having're-entrant keyways opening therethrough normal to said center line, and said block having a reversely double re-entrant keyway disposed Wholly within the block intermediate the first-mentioned keyways and also normal to said centerline and of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the sum of the said first-mentioned keyways, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyed to the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

10. A precast block having oppositely directed faces, at the end portions thereof, said faces i being normal to a centerline of a cross-section of the block normal to said faces, said faces havingre-entrant keyways opening therethrough in the same direction as said centerline, and said vblock having a Vreversely double re-entrant keyway disposed wholly Within the block intermediate the first-mentioned keyways and also disposed in the same direction as said center line and of a size and shape substantially corresponding tothe sum of the said first-*nentioned keyways, whereby a plurality of said blocks may -be overlapped at meeting ends and the overlapped ends keyedto the middle of another block staggered with respect to said overlapping ends.

411. A wall, composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks,vsaid blocks lying in courses, said blocks having a body portion, ends to said blocks, key- Ways in said ends, said key-ways in said ends registering with key-ways in the juxtaposed ends of adjacent blocks, a hole in said body portion of said blocks, .the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in .a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said registering key-ways, saidhole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-ways in the ends of similar blocks in an adjacent course, a key in said registering end key-ways, said key entering the registering hole in a block of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which said key likewise engages the registering key-ways in the blocks of an adjacent course.

12. A wall, composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks, said blocks lying in courses, said blocks having a body portion, ends to said blocks, reentrant key-ways in said ends, said end keyways registering with re-entrant key-ways in the juxtaposed ends of adjacent blocks, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said key-ways, said hole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-ways in the ends of similar blocks in an adjacent course, a key in said registering yend key-Ways, said key entering the registering hole in a block of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which said key likewise engages the registering key-ways in the blocks of an adjacent course.

13. A wall composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks, said blocks lying in courses, said blocks consisting of a body portion, faces to said body portion, ends to said blocks, said ends being oppositely located with reference to two major axes of said body portion, inner faces to said ends, said inner faces being out of alinement with said facesof said body portion, key-ways in said inner faces, said key-ways registering with juxtaposed key-ways in the inner faces of juxtaposed adjacent blocks, a hole in said body portion, the/longitudinal axis'of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said key-ways, said hole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-ways in the ends of similar blocks in an adjacent course, a key in said registering key- Ways, said key entering the registering hole in a block of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which, said key, likewise engages the registering key-Ways in the blocks of an adjacent course.

14. A Wall composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks, said blocks lying in courses, said blocks consisting of a body portion, faces to said body portion, ends to said blocks, said ends being oppositely located with reference to two major axes of said body portion, inner faces to said ends,

said inner faces being out of alinement with the lsaid faces of said body portion, re-entrant key- Ways in said inner faces, said key-Ways registering with juxtaposed re-entrant key-Ways in the inner faces of juxtaposed adjacent blocks, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel Yto the planes of the longitudinal axes of said key-Ways, said hole'registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-Ways in the ends of similar blocks in an adjacent course, a key in said registering key-Ways, said key entering the registering hole in a block of an adjacent course, and a key in said hole, which, said key, likewise engages the registering key-Ways in the blocks of an adjacent course.

l5. A wall composed of a multiple of pre-cast blocks, said blocks lying in courses, said blocks consisting of a body portion, thickened medial sections of said body portions, thickened end portions, said end portions being oppositely located with reference to two major axes of said body portion, inner faces to said end portions, key-Ways in said inner faces, said key-Ways registering with juxtaposed key-Ways in the inner faces of juxtaposed adjacent blocks, a hole in such thickened section of said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said key- Ways, said hole registering With the axis of the juxtaposed key-ways in the ends of similar blocks in an adjacent course, a key in said registering key-ways, said key entering the registering hole in a block of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which, said key, likewise engages the registering key-ways in the blocks of an adjacent course.

16. In a construction composed of a multiple of pre-cast units, said units lying in courses, the combination of, joints between the units of a common course, said joints being lapped, inner faces to the units at said lapped joints, juxtaposed, alined key-Ways in said inner faces of adjacent units, a hole in the body of a unit in a superior or inferior course, the longitudinal axis of said hole being in alinement with the longitudinal axis of said alined key-Ways and a common key engaging said hole and said alined key-Ways.

17. In a structure, a multiple of circular or polygonal walls, said Walls composed of a multiple of pre-cast units lying in courses, said units having a body portion, ends to said units, key-Ways in said ends, said key-Ways in said ends registering with key-ways in the juxtaposed ends of adjacent units, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said registering key-Ways, said hole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-Ways in the ends of similar units in an adjacent course, a key in said registering end key-Ways, said keys entering the registering hole in a unit of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which, said key,

likewise engages the registering key-Ways in the units of an adjacent course.

18. In a structure, a multiple of circular or polygonal walls, said Walls composed of a multiple of pre-cast units lying in courses, said units having a body portion, ends to said units, key-Ways in said ends, said key-ways in said ends registering with key-Ways in the juxtaposed ends of adjacent units, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said registering key-ways, said hole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-Ways in the ends of similar units in an adjacent course, a key in said registering end key-Ways, said keys entering the registering hole in a unit of an adjacent course, a key in said hole, which, said key, like- Wise engages the registering key-Ways in the units of an adjacent course and means connectingthe bottoms of said Walls.

19. In a structure, a multiple of circular or polygonal Walls, said Walls composed of a multiple of pre-cast units lying in courses, said units having a body portion, ends to said units, key-Ways in said ends, said key-ways in said ends registering With key-Ways in the juxtaposed ends of adjacent units, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said registering key-Ways, said hole registering With the axis of the juxtaposed key-Ways in the ends of similar units in an adjacent course, a key in said registering end key-Ways, said keys entering the registering hole in a unit of an adjacent course, a key in said hole, which, said key, likewise engages the registering key-Ways in the units of an adjacent course, means connecting the bottoms of said Walls and a means united to said bottom connecting means and engaging said polygonal Walls.

20. In a construction composed of a multiple of pre-cast units, said units forming circular or polygonal Walls surrounding an interior cavity, said Walls composed of a multiple of said units lying in courses, said units having a body portion, ends to said units, key-Ways in said ends, said key-Ways in said ends registering with key-Ways in the juxtaposed ends oi adjacent units, a hole in said body portion, the longitudinal axis of said hole lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal axes of said registering key-Ways, said hole registering with the axis of the juxtaposed key-Ways in the ends of similar units in an adjacent course, a key in said registering end key-Ways, said keys entering the registering hole in a unit of an adjacent course and a key in said hole, which, said key, engages the registering key-Ways in the units of an adjacent course.

HERBERT M. KNIGHT. 

